By Rick Van Arnam
Bagram, Afghanistan
Time is a powerful asset. Even compared to money, which is regarded as time’s sibling asset, time has advantages that cannot be matched. For instance, even as time passes there is pricelessness in dissecting past decisions with specific consideration given to when and how a decision that has already been made, is then made public. While there is likely a range of opinions on LeBron James’ decision to leave his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, there is far more negative consensus regarding how he ostentatiously publicized his decision.
Even LeBron, it appears, has come to realize that. Michael Wallace, who covers the Heat and the NBA for ESPN, recently covered James’ reflection on his decision to sign with Miami. Writing in the wake of the start of the NBA regular season, James is quoted as saying, “If I had to go back on it, I probably would do it a little bit different.” Implied in this statement is that James would not announce his decision in a one-hour, primetime made-for-sports-TV show.
One of my eleven character principles is the Three Decisions Principle which states, “Making a single decision requires you to make two more.” These latter two decisions address the when and how surrounding a single decision and are summarized by asking the question, “When and how will I act on the decision I made?” In hindsight, I think LeBron acknowledged that his actions associated with when and how to announce his decision to sign with Miami has negatively impacted his public perception probably more than the actual decision.
For LeBron, as is the case for many young athletes, time remains on his side. He has both the value of passed time to look back on his decisions as well as the assumed future time to put that wisdom in action. That really is how he, or any of us, accelerates the maturing of our character.
RVA
Credits
For LeBron James, hindsight 20/20, by Michael Wallace, ESPN.com, November 1, 2010.
